10 Reasons Greek Mythology Is Messed Up

We now have to talk about Heracles, best known as Hercules, because, well, he was probably the coolest guy in Hellenic mythology, the Greek version of Thor. He came to be the most successful of all demigod heroes, gaining the title of “only son of a mortal mother who became a god” as well as an imperishable place in pop culture.

Among his numerous adventures, he rescued Alcestis, King Admetus’ wife, from the Hades, freed Prometheus from his eternal punishment, wrestled with a river god, and even held up the sky for Atlas (then tricked him into taking the burden again), but his best and most famous tour de force is a dozen labours he brought off at the service of King Eurystheus.

Mostly consisting of epic fights against epic monsters, impossible hunts, years-long expeditions and one grand-scale flush, they are nonetheless permeated with a somber word: penance. They were indeed twelve actions he had to perform so that he could make amends for a terrible damage: when Hera got tired of his endless ventures, she drove him mad and made him kill his nephew, his children and wife. After recovering his sanity, Heracles went to Delphi and was advised by the Oracle to serve Eurystheus for twelve years.

Luckily, he had Iolaus, his nephew and lover, by his side all the time. All of it.